Shoe cleaner



Nov. 5, 1963 P. J. MCLENNON SHOE CLEANER Filed May 24, 1962 m|||||||||||||||||||||||l||||||||||ll||||H INVENTOR. Pe/er M-Qennon ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,109,188 SHOE CLEANER Peter J. McLennon, 514 Linden Ave, Oak Park, Ill.

Filed May 24, 1962, Ser. No. 197,357

2 Claims. (Ci. I15--3) This invention relates to shoe cleaning apparatus and more particularly to apparatus which a user may walk upon as he approaches the entrance to a home or other building, and which will readily and quickly remove mud and dirt from the users shoes.

According to this invention, a tray is filled with pebbles of various sizes, preferably in a range on the order of from /8 to 4 inch in transverse dimension. It is found that as the user walks upon such pebbles, a very good cleaning action is obtained. Preferably, the tray is elongated to permit the user to take a plurality of steps thereon as he approaches the entrance. The tray may preferably have a perforated bottom supported above an underlying surface, for flow of dirt and moisture therethrough.

An important feature of the invention is in the provision of means for vibrating the tray horizontally, preferably in a longitudinal direction in the case of an elongated tray. With such vibration, the cleaning action is greatly improved, the downward flow of dirt is promoted and the pebbles move to positions wherein they more firmly support the user.

Other important features of the invention relate to the construction and support of the tray and the construction of the vibrating mechanism, such as to provide simplicity and economy of construction while obtaining highly elficient, reliable and trouble-free operation.

This invention contemplates other objects, features and advantages which will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of shoe cleaning apparatus constructed according to this invention;

FTGURE 2 is an elevational sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along line -IIII of FIG- URE l; and

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially alon line IiIIll of FIGURE 2, looking downwardly from a point under a cover plate of the vibrating mechanism, to provide a plan view of the mechanism.

Referring to FIGURE 1, reference numeral 10 generally designates shoe cleaning apparatus constructed according to the principles of this invention. The apparatus it} comprises a tray 11 which is filled with small rocks or pebbles and which may preferably be set down into the ground 13 with the top of the tray flush with the ground level. The apparatus 10 may be placed outside the entrance to a home or other building to form a final portion of the walkway to the entrance.

By way of example, the tray may be approximately two feet wide, two to eight inches deep and six to eight feet long so as to permit the user to take a plurality of steps thereon. The rocks or pebbles 12 should be of various sizes, preferably in a range of from to /2 inch in transverse dimension and for most cleaning purposes, smooth pebbles or rocks are preferred, as opposed to crushed stone. Surprisingly good cleaning action is obtained under such conditions.

An important feature of the invention is in the provision of mechanism generally designated by reference numeral 14- for vibrating the tray 11, preferably in a longitudinal direction. The vibration improves the cleaning action, promotes the downward flow of dirt and promotes the movement of the pebbles to positions wherein they provide firm support for the user.

To permit flow of dirt and moisture from the tray 11, it has a bottom 15 formed with perforations or openings 16 therein, of a size smaller than the smallest pebbles used, and the tray is supported with the bottom 15 above the level of the underlying earth to provide a space for accumulation of dirt. The support may preferably take the form of rollers 17 resting in concave upper surfaces '18 of a series of transverse plates '19 resting on the underlying earth. With such support, the tray 11 can be readily vibrated in a longitudinal direction.

To rigidify the tray so as to permit longitudinal vibration thereof, a plurality of rods, three rods 21, 22. and 23 in the illustrated apparatus, are secured between an end wall 24 and a partition wall 25 which is secured to the bottom 15 and also to side walls 26 and 27, as by welding, for example. The partition wall thus forms an end wall for the portion of the tray having the pebbles therein. The rods 21-23 may be either solid or hollow. A plurality of transverse upright plates 28 are preferably disposed in spaced relation along the portion of the tray having the pebbles therein, and such plates are preferably secured both to the bottom and side walls and to the rods 2l23. The upper edges of the plates 28 may be disposed slightly below the level of the upper edges of the side and end walls of the tray.

The partition 25, together with an opposite end wall 29 of the tray form a chamber for the vibrating mecha nism 14, which chamber is covered by a top plate 30.

Three heavy plates 31, 32 and 33 are secured between the partition wall 25 and the end wall 29 in alignment with the rods 21, 22 and 23, the plates 31-33 being preferably provided with flanges 34-36 bolted through to flanges 37-39 on the rods 2l23 to obtain maximum nigidity. Plates 31-33 support bearings for a pair of parallel shafts 4d and 42 transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the tray. An electric motor 43 is coupled to one end of the shaft 41 through a gear reduction unit 44 and a gear 45 on the opposite end of shaft 41 is meshed with a gear 46 afiixed to the shaft 42. With this arrangement, the shafts All. and 42 are driven in opposite directions at a certain speed which may preferably be on the order of from to 600 rpm.

To effect the vibratory movement, the shaft 41 carries eccentric or off-center weights 47fi, disposed within cupshaped supports 51-54, while shaft 42 carries off-center weights 55-58 within cup-shaped supports 59-62. The weights are so disposed as to promote horizontal vibration of the tray while providing a balance with respect to vertical vibration. Thus weights 427-54} reach the limit of travel away from the portion of the tray having the pebbles therein at the same time that the weights 55-58 reach the limit of travel in the same direction, and the weights 47-56 reach the limit of travel toward the portion of the tray having the peb bles therein at the same time that the weights 55-58 reach the limit of travel in the same direction. However, weights 47439 reach the limit of travel thereof upwardly while weights 55-58 reach the limit of travel thereof downwardly, and Vice 7 versa. The weights are also balanced in that weights 4'7 and 48 are disposed between the weights 55 and 56 and at equal axial distances therefrom and similarly, the weights 49 and 5t? are disposed between the weights 57 and 58 and at equal axial distances therefrom.

It will be appreciated that modifications and variations may be made. The tray need not necessarily be vibrated longitudinally but may be vibrated laterally instead. If desired, the pebbles may be heated to promote drying and to remove snow, as by infrared or Cal-rod heaters. A

removable tray may be positioned underneath the tray 11 for drainage and removal of accumulated debris.

It will be understood that other modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. Shoe cleaning apparatus for mounting on a ground surface comprising,

a plurality of elongated transverse plates supported by the ground surface in a horizontal plane,

said plates being arranged in mutually spaced parallel relation and each of said plates having a concave upper surface extending longitudinally the length of the plates,

a plurality of roller memberssupported respectively on the upper surface of each of said plates,

an elongated horizontally extending tray having a horizontal bottom Wall supported on said roller members in spaced relation to the ground surface,

said tray being open at the top and being filled with pebbles,

means defining perforations formed in said bottom Wall,

and

means mounted within the tray to generate horizontal vibration of the tray in the direction of the longitudinal axis thereof While providing a balance with respect to vertical vibration and horizontal vibration in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said tray.

2. Shoe cleaning apparatus for mounting on a ground surface comprising,

a plurality of elongated transverse plates supported by the ground surface in a horizontal plane,

at said plates being arranged in mutually spaced parallel relation and each of said plates having a concave upper surface extending longitudinally the length of the plates, a plurality of roller members supported respectively on the upper surface of each of said plates, an elongated horizontally extending tray having a horizontal bottom Wall supported on said roller member in spaced relation to the ground surface,

said tray being open at the top and being filled wit pebbles having a transverse dimension in a range of from /s" to A, means defining perforations formed in said bottom wall, and

means mounted Within the tray to generate horizontal References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 420,455 Jackson et al. Feb. 4, 1890 3,048,867 Counts Aug. 14, 1962,

FOREEGN PATENTS g 9,253 Australia Sept. 19, 1932 532,160 France Jan. 30, 

1. SHOE CLEANING APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING ON A GROUND SURFACE COMPRISING, A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED TRANSVERSE PLATES SUPPORTED BY THE GROUND SURFACE IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE, SAID PLATES BEING ARRANGED IN MUTUALLY SPACED PARALLEL RELATION AND EACH OF SAID PLATES HAVING A CONCAVE UPPER SURFACE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THE LENGTH OF THE PLATES, A PLURALITY OF ROLLER MEMBERS SUPPORTED RESPECTIVELY ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF EACH OF SAID PLATES, AN ELONGATED HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING TRAY HAVING A HORIZONTAL BOTTOM WALL SUPPORTED ON SAID ROLLER MEMBERS IN SPACED RELATION TO THE GROUND SURFACE, SAID TRAY BEING OPEN AT THE TOP AND BEING FILLED WITH PEBBLES, MEANS DEFINING PERFORATIONS FORMED IN SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN THE TRAY TO GENERATE HORIZONTAL VIBRATION OF THE TRAY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF WHILE PROVIDING A BALANCE WITH RESPECT TO VERTICAL VIBRATION AND HORIZONTAL VIBRATION IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID TRAY. 